Housing must be top of the agenda in Welsh Government’s new Programme for Government

The Welsh housing sector is calling on the new Welsh Government to recognise the vital impact housing has on health, education and the economy in Wales by committing to an ambitious plan for housing in their new Programme for Government.

Following yesterday’s National Assembly for Wales election, Labour has secured 29 seats to remain the biggest party in the Assembly. UKIP Wales won its first seats in the Assembly, picking up 7 regional seats. Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, Kirsty Williams, held her seat in Brecon and Radnorshire with a substantial majority. Plaid Cymru won 12 seats, including leader Leanne Wood who defeated Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews in her home constituency of Rhondda. The Welsh Conservatives won 11 seats with leader Andrew RT Davies re-elected on the South Wales Central list.

Stuart Ropke, Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru (CHC), the membership body for Welsh housing associations said: “Housing is key to a flourishing economy, better health, and educational attainment for our children. It’s vital that the new government recognises this and delivers on the ambitious housing targets we saw in party manifestos.

“Every party elected to the Assembly today supported the Homes for Wales campaign and pledged to end the housing crisis in Wales. They must now deliver on this promise with an ambitious plan for housing in the new Programme for Government.

“CHC and our members look forward to working with the next Welsh Government to deliver more Homes for Wales. As a sector, we exceeded the affordable housing target of 10,000 in the last Assembly term. To ensure that we can continue to build more homes, the next Welsh Government must restate its commitment to the sector with continued investment and promptly bringing forward proposed legislation to end the Right to Buy in the new Assembly.”